Monday Morning Pit-Stop is a weekly NASCAR column that runs on OutKick.com and Fox News Digital. If you’re looking for a normal NASCAR recap, go check out insufferable ESPN … assuming they still know NASCAR exists.
You see? THIS is why I’ve always been baffled by NASCAR’s decision to move the Bristol night race to September.
We had, easily, the most viral moment of the racing season Saturday night, and it went directly against Ole Miss-LSU. Chase Elliott said it many years ago, and it’s still true today …
STOP COMPETING WITH FOOTBALL.
Phew. OK. I needed to get that off my chest before we dive into the biggest fight this sport has seen since Allison-Yarborough.
NASCAR’S MOST POPULAR DRIVER HAS A TIKTOK GIRLFRIEND THAT’S CAUSING A STIR, AND HE DOESN’T CARE
Fine. That’s probably an overreaction. But hey! This Ryan Blaney-Carson Hocevar scrum still a good one!
For Carson, at least. Not sure Blaney got a ton of licks in, but Lordy, he is scrappy. We’ll get into it today, obviously. What else are we gonna talk about? Joey Logano winning?
Joey Logano won! There. Happy? Moving on …
I’ve also got Blaney’s wife, former Hooters girl Gianna Tulio (Blaney), posting some explosive accusations on Instagram about Carson, another NASCAR wife chiming in, NASCAR itself seemingly not doing anything about it, and Ty Gibbs launching a water bottle into the scene of the crime.
That, by the way, may have been the funniest part of the whole thing. You’ll see.
Four tires, a couple splashes of that Sunoco racin’ fuel, and maybe a raw steak for Blaney’s left eye … Monday Morning Pit-Stop — the ‘She Said WHAT?’ edition — is LIVE!
Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet, and Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 WABASH Ford, get into an altercation after the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., on Sept. 19, 2026. (Getty Images)
Blaney hunts down Hocevar after Bristol wreck
No reason to wait around today … we’ve had two days to marinate on it. You’ve all seen the fight by now. We’ve all seen it.
I know folks despise him, but very few people can make NASCAR trend on X during a college football Saturday night. Carson Hocevar did just that.
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NASCAR needs a villain, and has NEEDED a villain for the longest time. They have one in Carson Hocevar.
Let’s dive in:
Goodness gracious. What a fight. What a scene.
Couple things …
Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet, and Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 WABASH Ford, get into an altercation after the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 19, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn. (Getty Images)
- Hard not to give the win to Carson Hocevar here. Fair is fair, and he got in two pretty good licks before Blaney was dragged away. Not sure how Blaney allows that happen, given he was the one came over and started it all. Feels like he needed a better plan.
- Guy in green was somewhat holding Blaney back. Why? Just let them fight. Seems like he did more harm than good.
- Blaney breaking containment and forcing his way back to Hocevar was shocking to watch unfold. He’s a scrappy little sucker. For those wondering, Hocevar has Blaney beat in just about every metric. It’s probably not a fair fight, but Ryan certainly has that DOG in him. I’d love to see it play out further.
- I have a feeling Blaney’s gonna need to put some makeup on that eye before getting to Kansas this weekend. Looks like it’s gonna be a pretty decent shiner.
- Ty Gibbs launching a water bottle into the fight, for no reason whatsoever, was good stuff. Look at this:
Amazing. What’s he doing!? No clue. Everyone just hates Hocevar so much, they all wanted a little piece of the action.
Side note: Gibbs finished fifth in Kyle Busch’s M&M’s paint scheme Saturday night and led 120 laps. Well done, Ty.
Anyway, here’s Hocevar after what he called the first fight of his life:
Gianna Blaney stirs the pot, and I’ll leave it at that for obvious reasons
“That’s the first time I’ve ever hit anybody,” Hocevar said. “It’s a cool story at least, to be at Bristol of all places. “I don’t know what a decent one (punch) feels like. I’ve never thrown one.”
Hocevar went on to talk about the crash that started all of this, saying he didn’t intend to wreck Blaney (duh), and that perhaps the driver of the No. 12 Penske Ford wrecked himself.
Again, I don’t want to pick sides here, but … I think I might be with Carson on this one:
Man, that’s a tough one. Hocevar said he was on the brakes pretty hard. I’m not sure I buy that, but I also don’t know that he needed to be. It’s Bristol. You just made a crossover move, and you have the line.
To me, Blaney went low to try and block the run, and Hocevar’s nose was already there. That’s just how I see it. I don’t think there was any intent.
Ryan Blaney is separated from an altercation with Carson Hocevar after the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 19, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn. (Getty Images)
It didn’t matter, though. This was the last straw for Carson. Two weeks ago it was Brad Keselowski, and Saturday night it was Ryan Blaney.
Hocevar, by the way, told me after Daytona that he didn’t expect to have any enemies on the track during this 10-race Chase. He said that with a straight face.
Didn’t take long!
Those enemies, by the way, ain’t just on the track, either:
Gianna Blaney comments on NASCAR’s Hocevar post. (Screenshot)
Ryan Blaney celebrates with Gianna Tulio in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. (David Jensen/Reuters)
We’ve got MORE layers to this & Bubba weighs in
“Not surprised by #77 aggressive behavior with the criminal record he has,” Blaney’s wife, Gianna, said in response to NASCAR’s Instagram video of the fight. “Wait I forgot most of you don’t know about it because he got it paid off!! Oops *allegedly*.”
Well … that’s certainly a statement to make!
Gianna, by the way, hasn’t deleted those comments, which — again — were in response to an official post from NASCAR. So, yes, NASCAR has certainly seem them, and they aren’t making her take them down.
It’s interesting, to say the least.
By the way, Gianna wasn’t the only one feeling it after Bristol. McCall Gaulding, the wife of Zane Smith, chimed in as well:
McCall Gaulding Carson Hocevar. (Screenshot)
Zane Smith and McCall Gaulding attend the NASCAR Awards and Champion Celebration at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn., on Dec. 1, 2022. (Getty Images)
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“Just trying to make his fans aware on who they support,” she said under her own post. When a fan pressed her for more info, Gaulding claimed “we’ve tried and it gets covered up.”
Whew. Again, some explosive claims here. Gianna says something criminal happened. McCall says it’s been covered up. Neither further clarified.
Just a couple vague, but very public posts from NASCAR wives. Neither has been taken down, which, again, says something.
As for the claims … you can find them on the internet. I will not be going into them because A) there is nothing that verifies them at all, and B) I prefer not to get sued today. Would be a terrible way to start a work week.
Now, if Gianna, McCall, Carson — or anyone — wants to chat about them, I’m all ears. Please, go right ahead. Until then, I simply can’t play the speculation game with something like this.
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I have a mortgage to pay, you know? Have you seen those interest rates!?
OK, that’s it for today. Wild class. Wild race. Wish it didn’t get lost on a college football Saturday night. Oh well.
Here’s Bubba Wallace reacting on the way out.
See y’all at Kansas.